Captivating and culturally enthralling. The author does a great job of weaving folklore into a truly magnificent story.

A grieving Fox spirit out for revenge for her child, an aging detective on the case of a series of mysterious deaths, and a family of medicine shop owners with secrets of their own collide in this story of morality and mortality in 1900s China.

It’s taken me a little bit to decide how I felt about The Fox Wife, to be honest!

What I liked: the mythology was enchanting, and the dual narratives dovetailed really nicely.

What I didn’t: I struggled with the pacing (I’m all for a slow burn, but I did feel the drag in this one and the narrative tended to loop back on itself a fair bit) as well as some of the interaction between characters. I think with a story of this scope and with these themes, I was expecting a bit more emotional depth — the characters’ relationships came off as fairly sterile to my read.

Long story short, I liked but didn’t love this historical fiction read. The concept and setup was right up my alley, but the execution itself unfortunately didn’t quite click for me. Will still be trying another title by Yangsze Choo, though!

In the Manchurian capital there have been disappearances of young women and there are rumors that fox spirits may be involved. When a young woman is found dead on the doorstep of a popular restaurant, its owner asks Bao, a retired schoolteacher turned private detective, to investigate. Bao has his own fascination with fox spirits and gods, and maybe an experience or two with them, though he’s not quite sure. Bao’s investigation leads him to a photographer who may be linked to young men from prominent families in town. Coincidentally, Ah San, a young woman from the countryside, has come to the city looking for this photographer. She believes he is responsible for the death of her child, and wants to exact revenge. The Fox Wife is sumptuously atmospheric, with effortless storytelling.

Thanks to the publisher for granting me access to an eARC via Netgalley.

I was really hopeful when starting this one. The premise started off interesting and the characters were fascinating. The setting involving a world of spirits and folktales had me so invested. However, I quickly became entangled in a web of very complex relationships and backstories that never unwound during my reading experience. Therefore, I ended this one feeling somewhat dissatisfied, knowing that I likely was missing some pieces and realizing that this book probably required more of my attention throughout. This very well could be a me problem, because I’ve seen some great reviews of this one, but I just didn’t find that the payout at the end was worth the reading experience for me.

I was a big fan of The Night Tiger, and so The Fox Wife was up there with my anticipated reads of the year. While a lot of the story really worked for me, including the overall premise, there were other parts of it that fell a bit flat.

The Fox Wife alternates between the perspective of Snow, a mysterious fox posing as a lady, and Bao, a middle-aged investigator tasked with uncovering the name of a dead woman found in an alley. Though initially their storylines diverge, as the book goes on you can see how they will come together. Choo dives into the lore of foxes to weave a story that feels akin to a fairy tale. I particularly enjoyed Snow's POV chapters and her story of hunting down a mysterious photographer.

There were a few things that did not work for me. There was quite a bit of repetition to the story, explaining certain things or making points over and over again. I'm not sure if I was just more sensitive to this but it bothered me. The political subplot lost me a bit and the way that the plot unfolded over the last third of the book was a bit convoluted. I had a hard time feeling anything for any of the secondary characters, who seemed more like caricatures than actual people.

Overall, I was transported by this story but wanted it to be a little bit more concise.

I've been a fan of Yangsze Choo since The Ghost Bride. It's the prose and the lore that gets me every time, and The Fox Wife does not disappoint. It's another fairy tale written for an adult reader who can appreciate unique folklore and a mother's quest to hunt down her child's murderer.

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

Publication date: February 13, 2024

Date read: February 13, 2024

Audiobook read by the author



A young woman is found frozen in the snow. Her death is clouded by rumors of foxes involved, which are believed to lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful women and men. Bao, a detective with a reputation for sniffing out the truth, is hired to uncover the dead woman’s identity. Since childhood, Bao has been intrigued by the fox gods, yet they’ve remained tantalizingly out of reach. Until, perhaps, now. Meanwhile, a family that owns a famous Chinese medicine shop can cure ailments, but not the curse that afflicts them―their eldest sons die before their twenty-fourth birthdays. Now the only grandson of the family is twenty-three. When a mysterious woman enters their household, their luck seems to change. Or does it? Is their new servant a simple young woman from the north or a fox spirit bent on her own revenge?

I enjoy Choo's style of storytelling and her take on magical realism. (I had read The Night Tiger previously and really liked it, and I've been wanting to read The Ghost Bride for awhile, but haven't yet). Her use of Chinese folklore is really intriguing but also - for a western reader - not written in a way that you need to know any backstory.

This story is very much a slow-burn, with a lot of little plot points moving us through the story, but very few big exciting scenes. This type of writing is not for everyone, I know - and I don't say that in a condescending way. It's natural to want books to flow quickly through the plot, and slow-burn books are not everyone's cup of tea. I enjoy them as long as the writing is interesting and not too florid (I don't need three pages describing an item of clothing or someone's breakfast), and I think that Choo's style of writing is a good mix of beautiful and to the point.

Choo also narrates this book if you choose to listen to the audio, and I didn't have any issues with her narration, but neither is it the greatest narration I've listened to. I do like when an author reads their own work, since they know where to put emphasis when needed and I know I'm getting correct pronunciations, though. I think this book would be equally enjoyable as an audiobook or as a print book.

There were a lot of characters in this book, which did make some parts a tiny bit confusing, but the main storyline was easy to follow. And while many of the human characters were more or less average, the investigator - Bao - was very intriguing to me; I thought he was written very well and I enjoyed following his character during the chapters focusing on his life and investigation. And, of course, the fox characters were lovely and complex and I loved following their stories.

Overall, this book is a nice, quiet magical realism story that I quite enjoyed but which is not for everyone. Readers who enjoy magical realism or folklore I believe will enjoy this story, and anyone who likes a little magic mixed in with their mysteries should like it as well.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Content warning: foot binding, death of a child, talk of killing female babies

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Reading this feels like those ethereal minutes falling asleep. In those moments, it's hard to tell what's real or not. Maybe things feel familiar, but maybe not... but you can feel the magic. The Fox Wife is poetic, folkloric, and immersive. In a word, I'd call this profound.

"The Fox Wife" by Yangsze Choo is a captivating blend of mystery and folklore. Set in early 1900s Manchuria, it follows Snow, a shape-shifting fox, and Bao, a detective, as their paths intertwine. Choo's atmospheric storytelling and rich cultural backdrop make this an intriguing read.

I absolutely loved The Night Tiger so I was so excited to receive an arc of this book! I love how all the different story lines work together to make one cohesive story. If you love magical realism and a bit of folklore you will love this story!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Fox Wife.

I really liked the author's first book, The Ghost Bride, so I was eager to dive into The Fox Wife.

This is a well written narrative about Snow, a fox but foremost, a mother seeking revenge for her murdered child.

Her story of vengeance is juxtaposed against Bao's story, a detective with the unusual ability to detect when someone lies, who has been tasked to uncover the identity of a woman found dead in a doorway.

Bao's investigation will eventually collide with Snow's and her employee, a dear friend Bao has never forgotten from his childhood.

I loved the supernatural, mystical and spiritual elements, the themes of love, loyalty, and friendship.

The early 20th century setting added to the old school vibe, how dangerous it was to be a woman, much less a single woman traveling alone during those tumultuous times of civil war and strife.

I won't lie; it took me awhile to finish this because the pacing is slow.

Stuff happens but it's not exciting and thrilling. Events unfold, people are killed, and Snow has to deal with the prejudices and violence that is inflicted upon a woman, much less someone masquerading as a servant.

I really liked Snow; her courage, her wit, determination and brute honesty about her place as a fox and a woman.

I would have liked to know Tagtaa more; she sounded intriguing despite her presence as a minor character.

I enjoyed her childhood recollection of meeting a fox for the first time and how it changed her life. Her openness and willingness to believe in the powers of the fox made her a fascinating character and I wished I knew her better.

Bao was a good man, one of the few human ones in the narrative. Honest, practical, and patient, he pursued his investigation with steadfastness, his own feelings about foxes and his dear friend tangled together.

The ending was surprisingly optimistic and happy, not what I expected, but it left me feeling positive and hopeful.

I like how well the author blends folklore and magic into her stories though the pacing is slow, I also enjoy her writing and characters.

Book Name: The Fox Wife
Author: Yangsze Choo

ARC
Thank you to Henry Holt & Company andNetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Stars: DNF

Wrong Book at the Wrong Time.

First, I apologize to the author and publisher for the lateness of this review.

While the allure of the plot originally hooked me, this book failed to hold my attention. I have tried multiple times to get into this book. Restarting over and over but still not being able to push through. this is a DNF for me.

it was just too slow and lingering. I need a faster paced read.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company, Henry Holt and Co. for the ARC copy they provided.

Unfortunately, I did not finish this book in time to leave a review before the publication date, and though a review after publication is no less welcome or useful, I feel I do not have the time or space to give this book the attention it deserves.

What I did see of this book showed me a beautiful cover, a catching first line, and writing that flowed and pulled a reader in. I hope to have time to sit down and properly enjoy this book in the future.

Historical fiction set in China has been intriguing to me lately. My coworker enjoys Asian folklore and mythology, and I suggested she read this. She enjoyed it as well as her other books.

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.

Maybe I'm biased because I'm Chinese Malaysian, but I really enjoyed this fantastical story with a whodunnit type of twist. This is my first Yangsze Choo and it certainly won't be my last.

Set in Manchuria, the story follows a fox spirit, Snow, as she seeks vengeance for the death of her cub. As she enters the household of a cursed family, she teaches the audience about the mythology of foxes and quickly becomes a sympathetic character to root for. On the flip side of Snow is Bao, an aging detective trying to get to the bottom of a mysterious death in the village. The two paths begin to merge, all while we also see peaks of the final years of the Qing dynasty.

With a meandering pace, what thrives here is the atmosphere and descriptions of landscape -- and the food, omg. I loved the bits of humor, as well, and could easily read more of Yangsze Choo's world.

The premise of this book intrigued me as I usually love a good historical fantasy story, especially when rooted in myth and folklore. Unfortunately I felt that this story fell flat; I struggled to identify a plot and really didn't care how it ended. I loved the descriptions of the fox people and the stories passed down generations highlighting the wiliness and danger of foxes. I also found the romance to be problematic at best; the relationship went from being borderline non consensual to just accepted and it kind of gave me whiplash. Overall, though not my favorite read of the year. I do love historical depictions of Asian mythology and I can appreciate the beauty in the imagery presented in this book.

I was utterly charmed by this book. I thought the switching of perspectives was actually well executed, and I was increasingly delighted as the narratives started connecting and catching up. I will say that I enjoyed Snow's perspectives significantly more than Bao's, but nevertheless it was a good time. The mystery elements were engaging enough to hook me, even making me stay up well past my intended bedtime.

The book isn't free from some pacing issues, underdeveloped characters (looking at you, Kuro), and more, but I didn't feel all that bothered about it by the time I finished. I loved the portrayal of the fox spirits, and I imagine I'll think back to this story from time to time.

Received a free copy from Netgalley.

The Fox Wife was a charming tale that had a lot of unexpected elements. I enjoyed the murder mystery, the side plots of long awaited love, the revenge story, and then just the folklore that persisted throughout the book. At times the plot did feel slow, but I do think that there were enough conflicts within the story that it kept the plot moving. I can’t say I’ve read a book like this, and although everything was tied up in a happy ending at the end, it didn’t feel corny or over-the-top. It just felt charmingly pleasant.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was very well written and the story of the Fox Wife was beautiful.

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo is a historical fantasy set in early 1900s Manchuria featuring shape-changing fox spirits.

I followed along in my physical advanced reader copy while listening to the audiobook which I borrowed from my local library. The author narrates this, and while I really liked her inflection--you can tell she's a born storyteller--we don't really get much differences in the way of character voices, which made things a little confusing for me at times.

The book started out a little on the slow side, but once I was about 25% in I was solidly in for the ride. In fact, I inhaled this book in one day. If you're a fan of literary historical fiction or magical realism, you might really dig this.

We follow two point-of-view characters: the eponymous "Fox Wife" and a private investigator close to retirement. There's a lot of exploration on how women were treated in Manchuria at the time and there are various religious elements sprinkled throughout.

I'm a big fan of folklore in general, and fox spirits are a part of East Asian mythology I don't know much about. This book definitely opened my eyes and I'll definitely be reading more about it.